Quote of the Day -- Fascist/Presidential Edition

From travel expert Rick Steves.

"This week, I'm sharing clips from my public television special, "The Story of Fascism in Europe." I believe that learning from the past is important. History may not repeat itself...but sometimes it rhymes.

Fascists all seem to use the same playbook: Hitler, Mussolini, whoever. They offer simplistic promises in response to complicated problems — repeating lies so loudly and boldly that people begin to believe them. After Hitler became Germany's chancellor in 1933, he consolidated his power by marginalizing his fiercest critics (which frightened others into silence) and suspending democratic procedures. For, you see, once a fascist gets a taste of power, he'll stop at nothing to keep it."

Thanks, Republicans.

Fantastic News From KCPT!

I am pleasantly, very, very pleasantly surprised to the point of shocked today.   Our local PBS station,  KCPT, made a terrific, even fantastic and very responsible decision. Here goes.

As a trusted source for public media in the Kansas City area, KCPT monitors community feedback and evaluates station programming, services and initiatives to ensure they effectively fulfill the needs of the audiences we serve. With our viewers, members and community in mind, we have made the decision to pause the production of the weekly roundtable debate program Ruckus.

KCPT will take some time to consider whether we might better use our station resources in support of another program, one that allows for differing opinions but maintains the standards expected of our organization.

The long and short of it is that they, KCPT, are dropping, have dropped their weekly "news" program "Ruckus."

I say again, this is fantastic. That is some great news right there. Obviously Right Wing, Republican host Mike Shanin and all his old, Right Wing, also Republican buddies like Woody "I'm a Fossil" Cozad were WAY out of line. KCPT viewers and supporters deserve far better.

The program frequently had a very Right Wing weighted--and bleached white--panel, time and again. And you would think the host would only be just that, the host, and not interject his opinions, again, in this case, very Right Wing opinions yet there he was, every week, spewing those Republican or Libertarian or whatever viewpoints. 

His counterpart on KCPT, Nick Haines, over at "Week in Review" always did and does just that--that is, kept his opinions to himself. He has also begun having regularly, dependably balanced guests, too, with, specifically, two white people, a Black or African-American and a Hispanic or LatinX guest, thereby giving full representation to the entire community.

I had written KCPT and asked them, a couple times, maybe a few, to make the programs more representative of the entire metropolitan area.  Naturally, I also wrote about this here on the blog. (Perhaps one of you two readers may have seen it).  I thought they could and would maybe tweak both programs so they were balanced and representative of more views. They did it with Mr. Haines' program, I noticed. Perhaps they tried to do the same with Mr. Shanin's program as well. And he wouldn't budge?  Only they, on the inside, know, I suppose.

It's a shame something couldn't have worked out that Mr. Shanin couldn't have stayed with and on the show, kept his very Right Wing opinions to himself and dependably had a truly representative panel on the show, from across the city, week after week but so it goes. Maybe they'll create a new program with a similar format, a new, much better, more responsible host and again, balanced, representative guests for each week's panel.

Anyway, yes sir and ma'am, great, great news! Thank you, KCPT! You did the right thing here! We look forward to your continued success and growth!

Links: 

Mo Rage: KCPT's Lily-White, Bleached-White "Ruckus"

Mo Rage: Clueless Mike Shanin, KCPT and "Ruckus"

Kudos, At Long Last, To KCPT, "Ruckus" and Mike Shanin

A Suggestion, Recommendation, Request for KCPT and Mike Shanin

Yes, a recommendation, suggestion, request for KCPT and Mike Shanin.

Could you please keep Mr. Shanin's very Right Wing, conservative, Republican views to himself?

It's not what we watch for.

We don't watch this newsweekly for the host's own personal political views. Not at all. That's what the guests are for. Leave it to also elderly, white and Right Wing, conservative Republican Woody Cozad or someone, anyone else.

If Mr. Shanin feels strongly enough he wants to give his opinion(s), let him, then, be a guest. It's not difficult. Otherwise, just host the show.

We, the viewers, including the sponsors, funders of the program, watch for someone to oversee the show. We don't want and God knows don't need to know what he thinks or likes or wants, especially when it comes to politics. 

His counterpart, Nick Haines, over on the also weekly news program "Week in Review" can do it. Mr. Shanin certainly should be able to, also.

Side note: a thanks and congratulations to Nick Haines, KCPT and his program for getting a token black person on this week's program. It seems KCPT may finally, finally be making that happen on both these newsweeklies. Occasionally it doesn't happen and it's all lily-white but I think that may have been because of this pandemic we're suffering through presently. Hopefully that's the case.

Of course, neither program still has a token Hispanic on either program so it's still 3 white people, 1 black and that's it but at least they've finally made this improvement.

Still waiting for the day when KCPT recognizes the Hispanic community in the area and on both these programs.

They take money from Dos Mundo but still no representation on the shows.

Pretty sad.

KCPT Does It Again. Some More. Seriously, KCPT, How Long Are You Going To Keep This Up?

Yes sir and ma'am, another week, another couple of local news programs from KCPT, having only or largely only white people save us all.

Very white, Nick Haines and his show, "Week in Review" loaded up just one more all white panel to do just that, save the city with all the answers they--the white men folk--have for us.


Yes sir, there you go. Four white guys and--oops!--they let in a token woman! How did that happen?

Not one person of color.

Not one black person. Not one Hispanic. Nada. No one else. Just lily white people, there to save the day, praze Geezus.

And then uber white, Right Wing, Conservative, Republican Mike Shanin, there, with his show, "Ruckus", later in the week and, wow! This time THEY LET IN ONE BLACK PERSON! Stunning! Not only that, they let 3 women, AT ONE TIME, be on the show with the white guys! Wowzer! They may get this one day yet, huh? Maybe? If we all live long enough?


Poor Woody Cozad looked downright uncomfortable, what with all those wimmin folk sittin' 'round him. And a cupla' them m-eye-noritees, too, at that.

Look, KCPT, we've talked about this before.

You load up your money-begging commercials with people of color and women. You're all the time asking for money from them, from minorities.

How impossible for you all is it that you would have, say, one Hispanic and one black person, EVERY WEEK, on your programs? This city is not tiny. How tough would it be to stop loading us up with what only white people in general but also only white, old, conservative men and their thoughts and answers on local, state, regional and national answers and possibilities?

Who knows, you might even get, oh, I don't know, more viewers and more support, financial and otherwise, for your programs?

How y'all aren't embarrassed by this, personally and professionally, I can't even imagine.

What did they teach you in journalism school, anyway?

Kudos, At Long Last, To KCPT, "Ruckus" and Mike Shanin

At last.

At long last.

I've posted here, at least a few times, if not several, how our local PBS station has singularly, only white people, time after time and week after week, on the show to discuss and hopefully solve Kansas City's issues and problems. In spite of our considerable Black and HIspanic and others population, the program had just that, only white people. Alone.

So imagine how pleased I was this week when they included Jamekia Kendrix on the weekly panel to discuss and talk and be heard. She was and is eloquent and intelligent and well-spoken and more than held her own and gave different viewpoints.

Thank goodness.

Here's hoping it's the shape of things to come for them, for the program and for all of us.

Kudos and salutations, KCPT.

And thank you.

Their "Week in Review" was its same bleached whiteness but at least this "Ruckus" was inclusive.

Hoping they learn, at long last.

Links:

Ruckus | Watch Online | Kansas City PBS Video - KCPT

Ruckus - KCPT

You Should Be Watching This

A documentary on Jackie Robinson is on this evening on PBS and KCPT. It's part one of this series by, again, no surprise, Ken Burns.

It is fantastic.

What Jackie Robinson did and what he--and his wife--went through is just incredible.

And PBS, showing this now.

Incredible. Brilliant. 

We need to know this history, period, but it's especially important and relevant just now, at this time, with racism, once again, rearing its ugly head. No surprise but another Ken Burns documentary. And then with Colin Kaepernick, standing up against injustice, just as Jackie did?  It's extremely poignant.

We need, however, as a nation, to stop having to relearn these lessons. We should know all this already. We went through it. We shouldn't have to go through it again, to learn it once more.

Oh, and Buck O'Neil is even in it so all the more reason to watch.

Go watch this program, folks.

Link:

Jackie Robinson - Wikipedia

Jackie Robinson - Baseball Player - Biography.com

Jackie Robinson | Ken Burns America - PBS

That Trump/GOP Budget?

With this President and the GOP presenting cuts in government programs, I offer this response.



Again.  We are #Strongertogether

The Weekly KCPT "White Watch"

I think I've decided I'm going to post out here, weekly, who, precisely, is included and excluded on our local PBS station, KCPT's two weekly news shows as to who is on it and who is off. I've pointed out here, several times, how few minorities are included on the shows. And the shows are "Ruckus" and "Kansas City Week In Review."

Normally, weekly, it is virtually always, as I've shown, merely and only, singularly, white people. Maybe one woman, one white woman but that's it. No Blacks. No Hispanics. No Asians. No one else but white people as though we are some Northeast United States, completely white society and any input from anyone else is unnecessary.

This week, a small gain was made in that "Kansas City Week In Review' with Nick Haines had---count 'em!---one "person of color." They included one, one Black man, God love 'em.

But check this out.

For that one Black person, that one Black person in the chair this week?

The female got bumped.

Apparently, on this show, if not on KCPT, period, they can only allow one minority. One minority at a time.

Isn't that wonderful?

Meanwhile, back on "Ruckus"?

Lily white.

Once again, one more time, the "Ruckus" show had nothing but middle-aged--or older--white males. And yes, they included, on this program, one white woman.

Bless their little hearts.

KCPT and PBS does so much good otherwise and gives us such great programming otherwise but on these two weekly news programs?

They fail the city greatly.

Quote of the Day -- On Trump and the Plutocrats

To Kick Off Black History Month

This would be fifty-three minutes and four seconds of time very well spent, I believe.



Know your history.

Know your American history.

Thank Goodness for KCPT's Lily White Weekly Talk Shows!

I saw a late edition of KCPT's "Week in Review" last night and as I said, thank goodness we have KCPT and their 2 very usually lily white and nearly completely all male talk shows, "Ruckus" and "Week in Review."

On last night's show, it was, yet one more time, all men--except one token woman--and all bleached white.

Ain't it great?

I mean, who else is going to tell us how things are? Who else should tell us how things should be?

Well, middle-aged and elderly white, largely Right Wing--at least on "Ruckus"--males, men, of course!

It's just the way it should be, isn't it?

Heck, on "Week in Review" they even imported the panel leader from England! How fantastic is that?

None of those pesky "people of color" or minorities!

Ain't nobody got time for that!

Besides, there was that one segment last evening toward the end of the show where they squeezed in a very brief story and mentioned now-deceased Royals player Yordana Ventura.

Who says they don't have minorities on KCPT's news programs?

Quote of the Day -- On Living

“You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honorably. Prepare to be alone at times, and to endure failure. Persist! The world needs all you can give.”

―Edward O. Wilson

Link:  E. O. Wilson

Scary News Breaking Last Night From House Republicans

Check this out. Breaking news from late last evening from two different sources.

House Republicans vote to eviscerate 

the Office of Congressional Ethics

With No Warning, House Republicans Vote to Hobble Independent Ethics Office

So much for being independent.  They just said to you and I, to the nation, that they didn't want to have to be held to or responsible for any ethics rules or laws or commissions.

Sneaky b*st*rds

This is yet one more perfect example of how Republicans put their political party first. Screw the nation. Screw the people. To hell with all that. It's how they got in the White House. It's why they control Congress still longer.

Screw you, America. It's "Us first!"

This is who's in charge just now, America. This is who's in charge of our government. This is what and who you voted for.

And they're doing their own work, for themselves, not for you and I or for the nation.

KCPT's Again, Still Lily-White "Ruckus"

If you watched KCPT's and Mike Shanin's weekly news program "Ruckus" again this evening, once more, you would think that the Kansas City metropolitan area has not one "person of color" within its borders. Not one Black American, not one Hispanic, not one Asian, nothing. Zip, Nada.

Fortunately, they did have three women on their panel--again, very white--so there's something but the rest? White men, mostly old. All three of the men are clearly Right Wing being one Libertarian and the other two deeply Right Wing.

It really does seem as though no minority person's experience nor opinion matter either to this organization, the local PBS station, or to this city.

And once more, part of the panel discussion was about our just-passed November election. Clearly they think no person in this metropolitan area has any input worth giving to the voting and all its ramifications?

Is there not one person in this city that couldn't be included on this little, cozy club?

Really?

Their name does stand for Kansas City Public Broadcasting.  Right?

Entertainment Overnight -- Libera

What Is It With KCPT and White People?

(crackers.  far as the eye can see).

Okay, so I asked here 3 weeks ago about our local PBS station, KCPT and their local, weekly news program, "Ruckus" when they had a fully bleached-white guest panel.  I will note that, since then, for whatever reason, they've wisely and kindly had mixed-race guests. Hopefully, that will go into the future.

Now, this week, their local news program "Kansas City Week in Review" with the very British and wonderful Nick Haines discussed two issues this week--the upcoming Missouri tobacco tax and the Johnson County Public Safety tax.

On neither issue was their even one "person of color."

Just saying.

Now, we know there are no Black or Hispanic people in Johnson County, sure. (Right?). That's why everyone moved out there, all those years ago, of course. And still, to this day, we know there are no "people of color" in any positions of authority, in government offices out there. I'm just sure of it. (Is it even legal?).

But on that first question? The Missouri state tobacco tax?

Nothing but white people?

Over the entire state?

Just asking.

Link:  Kansas City Week in Review - KCPT

Incredible Times

I just realized the incredible time in which we're living.

The first Black President of the United States, at the end of his two terms in office, two terms in the White House, against all odds, at the same time this incredible story is told, in incredible, ground-breaking style and fashion.

And we're about to elect the first woman to that same office.

Incredible.

Whither "Ruckus"?

It will be interesting to see who is on KCPT's "Ruckus" TV program this evening.

KCPT and Their Lily White "Ruckus"

For that matter, it will be interesting to watch, from now on, for racial content and inclusion.

Or exclusion, as the case may be.

The Incredible, Soon-To-Be Presidency of Hillary Rodham Clinton

...And why it's great for America.

In all of the coverage of this God-awful 2016 presidential race for the White House, what hasn't been said and what isn't being said--yet, anyway--is how the Hilary Clinton presidency will, yes, of course, be historic for the nation and unprecedented, but the ways in which it will be unprecedented.

First, of course, we'll have our first female president.

That, alone, is historic and nearly mind-blowing. For all our work and attempts to be modern and forward and open-minded, not only have we never had a woman president but, worse, there are still far too many people in the nation--both male and female--who think we should never have one. The fact that we will is fantastic.

Second, the fact that we'll have two presidents in the White House at the same time is incredible.

I can't think of any other nation that has had such a situation at any time during their history. It happens, of course, naturally, in monarchies that lead their nations but not in Democratically-elected heads of state. It's, again, unprecedented.

And the thing is, not only is it history-making but the nation gets one helluva bargain at the same time.

Like it or not, agree or not, Bill Clinton, as president, was a very successful one in his time in office. Having all that experience and knowledge and his international and political contacts is a huge boon to her presidency and to the nation and our need to work with other nations.

In that way, you could also say, then, with all that experience and information and knowledge, America is getting one incredible political and governmental bargain. We're getting a "two-fer", America, a two-for-one bargain.

Following on the heels of a successful, very successful presidency of one Barack Hussein Obama and the not-to-be-overlooked fact of his being the first Black president, this is, indeed, again, monumental and historic. It's a great day for America.

Look, don't get me wrong, too. It's not like the election is over, far from it. Things could happen. But I'm basing the reason for this post today on the fact that not only does Mrs. Clinton have a lot of support behind her but she also has a great many Republicans on her side because they are strongly and wisely against having their candidate, Donald J. Trump in the White House. It's just fact.

So, congratulations, America. Not only will you be making history for more equality of the sexes but you'll also be getting one heckuva bargain, financially, diplomatically and politically, all three, at least, with Mrs. and Mr. Clinton back in the White House.

Links:

George Will: Republicans Must Keep Trump Out Of The White House

Krauthammer Explains Why He's Not 'Capable of Voting for Donald

Republicans Give Up On Trump And Work On Plan To Obstruct President Hillary Clinton

Donald Trump faces uphill climb to the White House

Don't Panic: Donald Trump Will Never, Ever Be President

It seems Donald Trump's candidacy is actually even likely making the Republican Party weaker.

RNC pulls worst fundraising numbers in recent years

And check this out. An entire nation doesn't want The Donald anywhere near their country should he, God forbid, become president.

The Philippines considers permanently banning 

Donald Trump

Imagine

Imagine if any one of these things happened in our US history.

--If Jack Kennedy hadn't been assassinated

--If LBJ didn't lie us into Vietnam and that war

--If Bobby Kennedy hadn't been assassinated

--If Richard Nixon hadn't been elected to the presidency

--If George W. Bush weren't successful in stealing the 2000 election

--If George w. Bush didn't lie us into the Iraq War

The ramifications of each would be huge.

Now, imagine if all the above occurred.

What a world.


Links:

JFK . American Experience 

LBJ . American Experience

Nixon . American Experience

George H. W. Bush . American Experience